The invention relates generally to the field of fishing devices known as bobbers or floats, which are attached to a fishing line and float on the surface of the water. Bobbers are used to set the depth of the hook and to indicate when a strike has been made by a fish. More particularly, the invention relates to fishing bobbers which also release bait or chum into the water.
It is a common practice when fishing for certain fish to attract the fish to the area of the fishing hook or hooks by chumming the water. Chumming is the practice of dispersing fish meal or other fish food or attractant into the water, usually by hand. The fisherman throws an amount of chum into the water and then attempts to cast his hook into the same area, or vice versa. This method can be effective in attracting the fish, but requires accuracy in throwing and casting, and suffers from the drawback of wind or water currents moving the chum away from the hook.
To solve this problem, devices have been developed which allow the fisherman to disperse the chum from either the lure itself or a bobber. The chum is inserted inside the device prior to casting. Upon the device entering the water, the chum is released by various mechanisms so that the chum is concentrated in the vicinity of the hook or hooks on the fishing line.
Examples of chum releasing bobbers are known in the art. Lueck, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,467, teaches a bobber having a relatively long tubular stem on which is mounted a fixed lower hemispherical container and a slidable, apertured upper hemispherical container which is slightly larger than the lower hemisphere. To use the device, the chum is placed in the bottom hemisphere and the upper hemisphere is positioned to enclose the chum. The size of the apertures is determined by the distance separating the two hemispheres. The fishing line is inserted through the tubular stem and the hook is attached. The fishing rig is then cast into the water, where the bobber floats on the surface and releases chum through the apertures. The bobber floats on its side and chum is released by tugging on the line. Problems with this device are that the bobber rests on its side and therefore does not provide a good visual indication of a fish strike, and that the release of the chum is dependent on the amount of wave action or requires tugging by the fisherman.
Another example of a fishing bobber which acts to release chum is given by Muko in U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,870. This bobber is a bell shaped container having a hinged bottom lid. The bottom lid is maintained in a closed position during casting by various structural devices utilizing a pressure fit or slight mechanical connection. To open the bottom lid, the fisherman must pull on the line, thus forcing water through apertures in the upper portion of the device which creates enough pressure to release the bottom lid. This device as well suffers from the necessity for the fisherman to jerk the line, and further suffers from the drawback that over time the mechanisms used to maintain the bottom lid in the closed position will weaken and eventually fail.
This invention comprises a structure which does not suffer from the problems of the prior devices, whereby the chum is immediately released upon the bobber entering the water without recourse for any line action by the fisherman. The invention allows for variable rates of release due to its several embodiments.